Our veterans deserve a strong economy

Only a healthy, vibrant and opportunity-rich economic and employment landscape will truly support our military members when it is time for them to hang up their uniforms for the last time. We need a country that will encourage them and allow them to continue to serve, contribute and succeed. Like the World War II generation, these young men and women will serve as our country’s future leaders. They have the desire and heart and firm grasp of the core values that make America great. The lessons of leadership, hard work, and self-sacrifice so vital to the success of our armed forces are not lost once they complete their military service commitment. These vital character traits, also vital to the private sector, transcend military formations and transfer to their professional civilian endeavors. These same values will help our country recover and prosper again.

At a time when our nation faces unprecedented annual deficits and a crushing debt burden, it is clear we have tough spending and policy choices ahead of us. We need common sense reforms now. We need reforms that will grow our economy and encourage private sector business investment. We need a fairer, flatter, and simpler tax code. We need a government that will get out of the way of the people it is supposed to support and defend.

Government doesn’t have the solutions for a growing, vibrant economy. More government is not the answer for America’s economic troubles. In fact, as we have witnessed these last few years, bigger government weighs on individual freedoms and ingenuity, increasing economic woes. We need the federal government to stop inhibiting American ingenuity and drive to once again illustrate the power and promise espoused by American exceptionalism.

Veterans understand that America must lead from a position of strength. They understand and appreciate the transformative power of education and the opportunities for prosperity that it creates. They know that success comes through hard work, dedication, and sacrifice. They recognize that you need to lead, follow, or get out of the way.

We as Americans must overcome our differences to protect the position of American strength and leadership. Our veterans understand American exceptionalism because they themselves are exceptional Americans. We should take a lesson from our veterans to inspire the changes we need to put this county back on a path to prosperity. If we truly care about taking care of our veterans, the best we can all do for them is preserve traditional values and take care of the country for which they sacrificed so much.Lamborn is a member of the House Veterans' Affairs
Committee and the House Armed Services Committee.